Unraveling the multifaceted nature of the nuclear function of mTOR

Abstract

Positioned at the axis between the cell and its environment, mTOR directs a wide range of cellular activity in response to nutrients, growth factors, and stress. Our understanding of the role of mTOR is evolving beyond the spatial confines of the cytosol, and its role in the nucleus becoming ever more apparent. In this review, we will address various studies that explore the role of nuclear mTOR (nmTOR) in specific cellular programs and how these pathways influence one another. To understand the emerging roles of nuclear mTOR, we discuss data and propose plausible mechanisms to offer novel ideas, hypotheses, and future research directions.

Keywords: Kinase; Nuclear receptor; Nucleus; Rapamycin; Signaling; mTOR.